List of Archbishops of Canterbury

List of the Archbishops of Canterbury up to Rowan Williams, in Canterbury Cathedral

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the "Primate of All England" (the "first bishop" of England),[1] effectively serving as the head of the established Church of England and, symbolically, of the worldwide Anglican Communion. From the 6th century until the 16th century, the Archbishops of Canterbury were in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. During the English Reformation the church broke away from the authority of the Pope, at first temporarily and later more permanently. Since then the archbishops have been outside of the succession of the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy and have led the independent national church.[2]